


Correction

by purplekitte



Category: The Giver Series - Lois Lowry
Genre: Gen, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Transgender, feel-good fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-05-12
Packaged: 2018-03-30 07:20:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3927883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplekitte/pseuds/purplekitte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Community takes the path of least resistance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Correction

“Thirty-eight. Marianne. Before you can be given your Assignment, there is a correction that must be made. A mistake was made and the Community apologizes to you for it.”

“I accept your apology,” the almost-Twelve replied out of habit, waiting for the explanation that must surely follow, though obviously the ritual of apology was not conditional on the contents of that.

“In most cases, it is obvious whether a newchild is a male or a female. You became aware of this mistake from a young age, but our Community failed to see that you were correct. It is a serious matter, and we have been observing it carefully as we considered your assignment. Many a female might consider braids cumbersome or resent the extra effort to care for them, or try on a brother or friend’s clothing out of curiosity. A Three might congregate with males instead of females when told to separate because she does not understand categories, and when corrected by an instructor—that may be an error resolved or a new error created. Your classmates and instructors were always aware you were struggling with fitting in, but were not so rude as to draw attention to it. Both you and they suffered from your confusion at what behavior was proper, though you attempted to avoid disruption.

“Careful consideration, especially, over the past year, however, has shown a more permanent correction is needed. On behalf of the Community, I apologize for the distress you have felt for our error and our delay in correcting it.

“Based on the roll of potential names prepared for newchildren, we determined a revised male name. Nathan.”

“Nathan. Nathan. Nathan,” the crowd repeated, a low murmur growing louder, as they would in a Ceremony of Replacement. It had been many years since such a ritual renaming had been necessary, but the Chief Elder spoke matter-of-factly and the Community followed. It was in the regulations, so anyone could look it up.

They would hardly speak of it again in this case—it would be unbearably rude to call attention to the boy in question so. His classmates would quickly correct themselves until they no longer needed to think about using the correct name and pronouns for him, embarrassed by their errors. They might feel moments of curiosity, but would never mention unique features like his continued need to wear female undergarments for the next few years, or the changes in his appearance as the dosage of the pills he took for the Stirrings were adjusted. Young children in the future would be scolded for pointing out any differences between him and other men in the Community. His family unit would be issued an exemption for the placement of two males instead of a male and female, as happened rarely under unusual circumstances. Tonight there would be new clothing in his dwelling: the straighter-cut of a male Twelve’s school trousers, differently fitted tunics.

The Chief Elder smiled at him, acknowledging with amusement how his Assignment itself (lumber resource management) was practically an afterthought for him. It was a good Assignment. He would be happy with it in the years to come. The Elders very rarely made mistakes.

**Author's Note:**

> While I’m sure canon would be more dystopian about it, I felt like writing a feel-good ficlet that would at least read as plausible in the setting.
> 
> Gender is treated so interestingly in the story. On one hand, it appears often in their language and they make an effort to distinguish girls from boys from early childhood in their appearance. On the other, the author seems to be making to effort to write a setting without sexism or gender role stereotyping, and the only comment of what someone can or can’t do because of their sex is that only some people are potentially eligible to be Birthmothers. They balance everything with two different sex parents and children, yet those parents aren’t involved in conceiving their children, not to mention everyone’s supposed to be made asexual and without sex drive by their technology. So, all and all, it feels reasonable to argue a trans person would be minimally disruptive to the Community, especially if given HRT from a young age so they passed well, compared to an individual who actively didn’t fit in right.


End file.
